Transmitter and receiver units employed in radar antenna systems, as well as the antenna radiating elements and transmission lines of such systems, are prone to generating heat in use. It is desirable to remove this heat to protect the electronic components within the transmitter and receiver units and to control the temperature to be conducive to optimal operation of the system.
Traditionally, the cooling of antenna systems has been done using a liquid coolant such as oil or water. This requires the circulation of large quantities of liquid coolant around the components of the antenna system being cooled. The energy required to achieve the mass flow rates of coolant necessary for suitable heat exchange may be undesirably high, especially when the antenna system is mounted high on an antenna mast and is required to be pumped vertically to the antenna in question. Alternatively, the coolant fluid as a whole may be arranged in close proximity to the antenna system it cools, but this then adds a significant amount of weight to the antenna system which is undesirable in a mast-mounted antenna system where weight and size are preferably to be minimised.
The invention aims to provide an improved antenna system with temperature control.